1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to electronic entertainment devices and relates more particularly to a system and method for dynamically loading game software for smooth game play.
2. Description of the Background Art
A virtual world represented by game software often includes more than one environment or level of game play. A character, controllable by the user, typically begins the game in one environment or level, and then progresses to other, often more challenging, environments or levels. Typically there is a pause in game play while the game transitions from one environment to another. The game screen may momentarily be blank or a xe2x80x9cloadingxe2x80x9d screen may appear while the new environment or level is loaded from the game disc to the game system""s memory. Loading times vary by game, but games with complex environments and characters may require significant loading times. Whether the loading time is short or significant, the flow of game play is interrupted.
In order to prevent the blank or loading screen from being displayed to a user, hallway or transition rooms may be presented to the user while software associated with a new game environment is loaded. Typically, hallway and transition rooms are areas of low detail that a character traverses to move between areas of high detail. When the user""s character is in the area of low detail, the areas of high detail on either side of the hallway or the transition room are not shown to the user. Although this avoids displaying a blank or loading screen to the user, it is obvious to the user that the user is merely awaiting the new environment until real game play can continue.
Use of blank or loading screens, as well as traditional hallways or transition rooms makes obvious to the user that the user is suspended from actual game play pending the availability of the new environment. This interruption in game play spoils the realism of the game and alerts the user to a pause in game play.
In accordance with the invention, a system and method are disclosed for dynamically loading game software for smooth game play. A load boundary associated with a game environment is identified. A position of a character in the game environment is then monitored. Instructions corresponding to another game environment are loaded into a memory when the character crosses the load boundary, such that game play is not interrupted.
In a system according to the invention, an environment management engine is configured to identify a load boundary associated with a game environment, monitor the position of a character in the game environment, and load instructions corresponding to another game environment into a memory when the character crosses the load boundary. At least two memory segments are configured to store instructions for the game environment and to receive and store the instructions corresponding to the other game environment.